


Shouldn't You Be Thanking Me?

by thenakednymph



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: But whatever, I give less and less of a shit with every summary I write, I have no idea where Keith is or why he's being tossed off a ship, I'm Sorry, IDGAF, Lance is adorable, M/M, Merman Lance, and kisses, how is that not a tag???, i have no idea what this is, it's never going to go anywhere beyond this, klance, mer lance, there's breath sharing, what the fuck guys, where is my merman lance tag???
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-15
Updated: 2019-02-15
Packaged: 2019-10-28 23:35:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17796905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thenakednymph/pseuds/thenakednymph
Summary: Keith is drowning, he's saved by a mer, there's banter.





	Shouldn't You Be Thanking Me?

**Author's Note:**

> Still cleaning out my google docs. This is never going to go anywhere and it's been collecting dust since last year.

They hadn't bothered to weight his body when they'd bound him so Keith isn't sinking as quickly as he could be. He can still see the dappled light overhead as it filters down through the water, getting further and further away. He struggles against the bindings, trying to get at the knife in his boot but he can't reach it.

Pressure builds in his ears as he sinks, the rope chafing at his skin as his lungs begin to burn. He tries desperately to swim for the surface, for air, to breathe, but the panic crawling up his throat assures him that's impossible. In that moment Keith knows he's going to die. And there's nothing he can do to stop it.

It feels like someone is standing on his chest, crushing his ribs and this throat aches with the need to breathe but he can't. Terror leaves him cold and he opens his mouth to scream.

Something soothing and cool washes over his mind, dulling the edge of his panic and a moment later there are hands on him, righting him in the water. He can't see in the dim light but he feels those same hands on his face, lips pressing against his and he feels bubbles in his mouth.

 _Breathe,_ a voice in his head urges, a razor edge of fear tainting the words. Keith forces the water from his mouth against the imperfect seal and gasps, dragging in a shallow breath. There's a brief pause and then more air is rushing into his lungs. His vision begins to clear as whoever it is does it again. _Hold your breath,_ the voice coaxes and Keith does, closing his mouth before the other separates from him. He blinks in the water and realizes it wasn't as dark as he'd thought, it was his eyes blacking over. In the light he catches a brief flash of warm skin and silver scales as the figure curls around him, pulling on the ropes looped around his ankles.

 _Knife,_ Keith thinks frantically, kicking his legs as if that will help. To his surprise he hears the voice in his head again.

 _Alright, alright, I hear you. Stop kicking._ There's a hand on his leg as a pair of fingers wriggle down the inside of his boot, finally pulling the knife free. Keith struggles as the merman swims back up against his chest, the knife still in his hand and for a moment Keith thinks he's going to be gutted with his own weapon. There's a flash of amusement in his mind before those lips are on his again and Keith takes a breath on reflex.

A moment later he feels the rope around his ankles give and he kicks, the merman dragging him back down in frustration, sawing at the rope on his wrists which quickly fall away. The merman carefully slips the blade back into Keith's boot, still gently manhandling him in the water, keeping him from making a mad surge for the surface.

All Keith can do is stare. _This can't be happening,_ he thinks dizzily and there's that amusement again, brushing against his mind. The merman flicks a lock of Keith's floating hair out of his face, a sly slant to his mouth.

 _So pretty,_ he drawls inside Keith's head, _and so stupid._  Keith scowls and laughter rings through his head like silver bells, the man's lips finding his again, feeding air into Keith's lungs in a cloud of bubbles. Keith half watches, his hands grappling against the merman to stay balanced. He reaches for one shoulder, his hand slipping and stroking over his neck where a set of gills open and then press firmly shut. A moment later Keith’s pulling in a breath of fresh air and can't help the thought that follows. _Huh, so that's how that works._

The merman pulls away, looping an arm around Keith's waist. _Hang on._ He speeds through the water so quickly Keith feels like he's caught in a current.

 _This can't be happening,_ Keith thinks and he swears he can hear the merman roll his eyes.

 _You humans, always so quick to dismiss everything as fairytale and fancy,_  the merman responds and Keith knows he's hallucinating. He must still be drowning.

 _This can't be real._ There's a long-suffering sigh inside his mind.

_This is the thanks I get for saving you? Hunk was right, I should have let you drown._

_~_

They swim until Keith can no longer see the shadow of the ship he'd been dumped from, making periodic stops for breath, and then they're surfacing. Keith draws in his first real breath, the merman’s arms still around his waist, holding him as their momentum dies and Keith sinks back into the water, coughing when a wave catches him in the face.

“Why didn't you,” he rasps, clinging to the merman's shoulders. “Why didn’t you let me drown?” He’s still cold with fear, barely clinging to the reality that he isn’t dead.

“Too pretty,” the mer says, reaching up and brushing Keith's soaked hair out of his face, the wet strands catching in his claws. There's a warm kiss to his cheek and Keith flushes.

“I'm going insane,” he mutters. “None of this is real. I am clearly dead.” The water slaps at his chest and the mer adjusts his grip, hefting Keith further out of the water with a solid kick from his tail.

The merman laughs and it sounds exactly the same as it did in Keith's head and damn it if it isn't beautiful. “Shouldn't you be thanking me?” he asks, lips quirking slyly.

Keith scowls as they bob in the water, the merman's tail flashing under the waves as he moves lazily, keeping them afloat.

“I would if I knew your name,” he snaps, still unable to believe any of this is real. He’s mostly being sarcastic but a name would be nice.

There's a pleased hum Keith can feel in his chest before the man smiles at him and it's just as dazzling as the rest of him.

“Lance,” he says softly, “my name is Lance.”

“Nice to meet you,” Keith dead-pans and somehow this strikes Lance as the funniest thing he's ever heard. He spins them around in the water, a peal of laughter ringing out across the water.

“Oh you are delightful.” He presses his nose to Keith's cheek, smiling into his skin. “I am very happy you didn't drown.”


End file.
